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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The Boston Red Sox today signed outfielder Mike Cameron to a two-year contract through the 2011 season. No further terms were disclosed.

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Cameron, 36, hit .250 (136-for-544) with 24 home runs and 70 RBI in 149 games for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2009. He played exclusively in centerfield last year, posting a .990 (4 E/412 TC) fielding percentage in 147 contests (146 starts). The three-time Gold Glove Award winner led all National League outfielders with 404 putouts and was second in the Majors behind only Seattle’s Franklin Gutierrez (445).

He owns a .986 (68 E/4,840 TC) career fielding percentage and has appeared in 1,699 games (1,616 starts) in center field, 139 (83 starts) in right and three (one start) in left.

The right-handed hitter has recorded at least 20 homers eight times in his career, including each of the last four seasons, and is one of 15 players ever to hit four round trippers in a game (May 2, 2002 at White Sox). He returns to the American League for the first time since 2003 when he batted .253 (135-for-534) with 18 homers and 76 RBI in 147 games for the Seattle Mariners.

Cameron swiped 10 or more bases each season from 1997-2008 and has 296 total steals. He is one of six active players to record at least 250 career home runs and stolen bases and one of three Major Leaguers ever with at least 100 home runs and stolen bases in both the AL and NL, joining Carlos Beltran and Bobby Bonds.

Originally selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 18th round of the 1991 First-Year Player Draft, Cameron has a career .250 (1,610-for-6,440) batting average with 265 home runs and 926 RBI in 1,829 games with the White Sox (1995-98), Cincinnati Reds (1999), Seattle Mariners (2000-03), New York Mets (2004-05), San Diego Padres (2006-07) and Brewers (2008-09).